Soccer shoe component or insert made of one material and/or a composite and/or laminate of one or more materials for enhancing the performance of the soccer shoe

Abstract

A soccer shoe absorbs and stores energy from the foot at foot-strike and return some of this energy to the object being struck. The shoe may also cushion the foot, leg and body; provide foot stability and motion control; reduce fatigue; extend the float time of a runner and increase the jump height of the wearer. The shoe is intended to absorb, store and return energy to the object struck, which would otherwise be lost using the existing shoe components and inserts. The shoe has a vertical component that extends around the periphery of the front of the shoe and another component (horizontal) that extends longitudinally from the front of the shoe towards the back of the shoe, at least to about the middle of the shoe, and preferably proximate the heel of the shoe.

1. A soccer shoe, comprising:
 a) a shoe body having a shoe upper and an outsole secured to the upper so that a wearer's foot can be positioned within the upper and above the outsole, the outsole having a lower surface with cleats and an upper surface, the shoe outsole having a front with a toe box and an outsole periphery that extends at the front around the toe box, the outsole having a middle, a back, and a heel; 
 b) the outsole providing a horizontal component that extends longitudinally from the toe box to at least the middle of the shoe body; 
 c) a vertical component extending vertically upward in the front of and on the sides of the shoe in the toe box area, the vertical component extending vertically a distance from a position next to the outsole and the vertical component continuously connected to the outsole periphery at the toe box, the vertical component extending around the toe box of the upper and rearwardly on opposing sides of the outsole, the vertical component terminating on opposing sides of the toe box; 
 d) the vertical and horizontal components stiffening the toe box so that the combination of the vertical and horizontal components is able to deflect, without permanent deformation, in response to an applied load creating a deflecting stress and then to return to its original shape upon removal of the applied load causing the deflecting stress, the components operating to absorb, redistribute and store the energy of localized loads applied thereto through deflection and, by returning to its original shape, to return energy to an object struck by the shoe in such manner so as to impart to the struck object applying the load some portion of the energy produced by the applied load. 
 
     
     
       2. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components is made of only one type of material. 
     
     
       3. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components is made of a composite of one or more types of material. 
     
     
       4. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components is made of a laminate of one or more types of material. 
     
     
       5. The shoe of  claim 1  wherein one of the components is made primarily of carbon fiber material. 
     
     
       6. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical component is made primarily of a natural or synthetic rubber material. 
     
     
       7. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical component is made primarily of a material from the group consisting of 1, 2-polybutadiene, 1, 4-polybutadiene, synthetic isoprene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene diene modified rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       8. The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the components are an integral part of a system where the outsole has carbon or graphite fibers contained therein which are maximally flexed when the component is present. 
     
     
       9. The soccer shoe of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components is made primarily of a material from the group consisting of 1, 2-polybutadiene, 1, 4-polybutadiene, synthetic isoprene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene diene modified rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       10. A soccer shoe, comprising:
 a) a shoe body having a shoe upper and an outsole secured to the upper so that a wearer's foot can be positioned within the upper and above the outsole, the outsole having a lower surface with cleats and an upper surface, the shoe having a front with a toe box, the outsole having a periphery that extends at the front around the toe box, a middle, a back, and a heel; 
 b) an insole layered above the outsole, the insole providing a horizontal component that extends longitudinally from the toe box to at least the middle of the shoe body; 
 c) a vertical component extending vertically upward in the front of the shoe, the vertical component extending vertically a distance up from the outsole and periphery, the vertical component and its connection to the outsole extending around the toe box and rearwardly on opposing sides of the outsole, the vertical component terminating on opposing sides of the upper; 
 d) the combination of vertical and horizontal components stiffening the toe box so that the combination of the said components is able to deflect, without permanent deformation, in response to an applied load creating a deflecting stress and then to return to its original shape upon removal of the applied load causing the deflecting stress, the components operating to absorb, redistribute and store the energy of localized loads applied thereto through deflection and, by returning to its original shape, to return energy to an object struck by the shoe in such manner so as to impart to the struck object applying the load some portion of the energy produced by the applied load. 
 
     
     
       11. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein one of the components is made of only one type of material. 
     
     
       12. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein one of the components is made of a composite of one or more types of material. 
     
     
       13. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein one of the components is made of a laminate of one or more types of material. 
     
     
       14. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein one of the components is made primarily of carbon fiber material. 
     
     
       15. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the vertical portion of the component is made primarily of a material from a natural or synthetic rubber compound. 
     
     
       16. The shoe of  claim 10 , wherein the vertical component is made primarily of a material from the group consisting of 1, 2-polybutadiene, 1, 4-polybutadiene, synthetic isoprene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene diene modified rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. A soccer shoe, comprising:
 a) a shoe body having a shoe upper and an outsole secured to the upper so that a wearer's foot can be positioned within the upper and above the outsole; 
 b) the outsole having a lower surface with cleats and an upper surface, the shoe having a front with a toe box; 
 c) the outsole having a periphery that extends at the front around the toe box a middle, a back, and a heel; 
 d) the outsole providing a horizontal load transfer component that is at least partially constructed of a stiffening material from the group consisting of: graphite, carbon, kevlar, fiberglass, titanium, metal, metal alloy, composite, laminate; 
 e) a vertical component extending vertically upward in the front of the shoe, the vertical component extending vertically from a position next to the horizontal load transfer component of the outsole upwardly a distance and the vertical component connected to the periphery of the outsole at the toe box area, the vertical component extending around the toe box of the upper and on opposing sides of the outsole, the component terminating on opposing sides of the upper; and 
 f) the vertical and horizontal components being in load transfer contact at the toe box so that the combination of the said components is able to deflect, without permanent deformation, in response to an applied load creating a deflecting stress and then to return to its original shape upon removal of the applied load causing the deflecting stress. 
 
     
     
       18. The soccer shoe of  claim 17 , wherein one of the components is made primarily of a material from the group consisting of 1, 2-polybutadiene, 1, 4-polybutadiene, synthetic isoprene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, butadiene acrylonitrile rubber, ethylenepropylene diene modified rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, polystyrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, and combinations thereof.